Chris Christie On Trump’s Executive Time: I Would Tell Him To Turn Off The TV

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie thinks President Donald Trump should cut back on TV. Speaking to CNN Monday morning, Christie defended Trump’s use of ‘executive time’ but also conceded that Trump is probably watching a lot of cable news.

CNN’s John Berman asked Christie about a recent report from Axios showing the President’s schedule over the past few months. Trump takes a large amount of what is described as ‘executive time’, which critics have taken to mean he’s not working very hard.

Berman asked if Trump is spending too much time on executive time.

“It depends on what he’s doing in executive time. So if he’s watching you guys…” Christie said, before Berman cut in to point out that Trump was definitely watching cable news.

“I know he’s doing some of that. If he’s watching you guys exclusively, that’s too much time. I would tell him to turn off the TV, no offense, but not watch you guys that much” Christie said. “I think he’s also spending a lot of time on the phone consulting people during that time. I know that I speak to him often during that executive time period. He’s talking to lots of different people, gathering opinions and ideas, and he’s most comfortable doing that without exposing on his calendar exactly who he’s speaking to.”

“That’s certainly his right do it. So it depends on what he’s doing in that executive time. And I think if he’s making a productive for him to be able to make decisions, we’re not asking presidents to punch a time clock. They’re on duty all the time no matter what and I think, you know, it depends what the President’s using the time for.”

“Listen, there’s no-one – there’s no-one, I think, who knows him, who’s ever going to accuse President Trump of not working hard enough. He’s a hard worker.”

Though Christie defended Trump’s use of executive time, he also criticized the recent government shutdown earlier in the interview.

“The shutdown was a failure and there’s no other way to put it. When the government is shut down that’s a failure,” he said.

Watch the video above, via CNN.